His Choice
by Center of the Galaxy
Summary: With Elika dead, the Prince now has to make a choice that could save or kill thousands of people. Should he let Ahriman free? Or is it best if Elika stays dead? What will the Prince's choice be? Takes place at the very end of the game. Prince/Elika


_**Author's Note: **Hello, everyone! I'm thrilled to be writing for Prince of Persia which is one of the best games that I have ever played. I hope you enjoy this story! I had tons of fun writing it!_

_I'm sorry._

That was what she had said to him. And yet, in that moment he had been unable to put it all together. He hadn't known what she had been talking about when she said it. No, he had believed that she had been saying this to another person—not him.

Why would she apologize to him? Why _should_ she? For dragging him into mess? No, he had followed her of his own free will. For having him fight her battles? No, he had wanted to. Ultimately, he didn't think she had anything to apologize to him about so, he had just assumed that she was talking to someone else, her father perhaps?

But then, he saw the sadness in her eyes as she said it. He knew something was wrong then, but he wasn't sure what. So, he had stood there, waiting for something to happen. Then, she had lifted her hand towards the tree and he watched as she summoned a blue ball of energy and then he knew.

She was sacrificing herself.

He should've known! He had seen the way she had become weak after they had healed the fertile grounds. Sometimes, she was barely even able to stand. Other times, she became so pale that she looked like a shadow of her former self. That should have been his first clue that something bad was going to happen.

Then, he had found that she had been dead. He had ignored that info since the woman that stood in front of him was so lifelike. Her radiant blue eyes assured him that he had nothing to worry about. She was alive now and that was all that mattered. Why should he worry about what was?

And finally, he should've known from the sadness that lurked in her eyes. The sadness that sometimes took her voice away from her. The sadness that prevented her from letting him know. Was it the fact that if she told him that she might lose the courage and then fail everything they had worked for? Or was she afraid that he would stop her?

He pounded his fists on the bier in frustration.

He would've stopped her. He didn't care what she would've thought in the matter, he would've stopped her.

He could see the whole scene play out in his head. Elika would tell him. He would've let it sink in and then reject the idea. If she protested, he would argue back. He would tell her that there was so much to see in the world, so many things that she had to do! He would remind her about the ocean and his promise to take her there. She would look hurt and say that unless she died there would be no sea—nothing. He would disagree and tell her that they would find another way out of this mess. He would beg and plead if that's what it would take to convince her. And if all that failed, he would physically stop her. He would block her path and make it impossible for her to get to the temple. And if she tried to fight him, he would stand there and take it. Because there was no way he was going to consciously let her go.

But . . . that wasn't how it had happened.

She _had_ sacrificed herself.

He had watched her do it. The image replayed in his mind. Elika held up the light sphere, apologized, and then looked at the tree and let her life leave her.

Somewhere, during this, his voice had returned to him and he screamed _'No!'_ as he ran to her now limp body.

But, he was too late.

She was dead.

Grief consumed him. The Princess he had grown close to and the woman he had fought to protect was gone.

Never coming back.

And it was then, as he picked up her body, that he knew that he loved her. He was in love with her from the moment she had jumped on top of him. Throughout the course of their journey, they had joked around about their chemistry neither one of them neither one willing to admit that they were growing attached to the other. So, they had left it as a joke. A forbidden subject that was best left alone.

At the time, he thought it had been for the best. That ignoring his growing feelings was the best for both of them, but now he wondered if he made the right choice. If he had admitted that he loved her, what would she have done? Would she have accepted him or would she have called him a no good tomb robber? Would his feelings for her prevented her death or would it have hastened it?

A bird chirped in the distance.

He looked at Elika on the bier; the sun seemed to make her beauty even more profound. He lifted his hand and gently moved some of her hair out of her face. To any passerby, it merely looked like she was asleep, but he knew she wasn't. As much as he wished it was, it wasn't. Death had claimed her for himself.

Leaving the Prince all alone.

He knew he should leave now. He should get far away from this cursed kingdom and banish every thought of her to the far corners of his mind.

But, he couldn't.

Elika was too precious to get rid of. He knew that he could wander off the ends of the Earth, but it wouldn't change a thing.

Elika still would be in his thoughts. Her voice would still be talking to him and her face would still smile in his mind. Even if he had the strength to banish her, he doubts she would comply. No, there was no use trying to get rid of her. She was now a part of him.

He looked at Elika's face and pain stabs his heart. Her eyes would never again open, she would never laugh or smile, and she would ever see the sea.

Unless, he changed that.

The thought came so suddenly, so quickly, but he knew it was he was going to have to do. Before he knows it, the Prince is running towards the trees of light. He pulls out his sword and destroys one tree after another. He knows that if he does this, Ahriman will be freed, but Elika will also live again.

And that is his only reason to live right now.

He remembered something his mother told him when he was very young. He had asked her how she knew his father and her were meant to be. His mother had laughed and said that I was too young to understand the details, but had simply said:

"_When you find the one, you'll know." _

He had wondered what that meant for many years, especially after his mother died. Now, he had no one to ask.

But, now he understood.

There was this strong feeling driving him, forcing to him to act. His mind had for once, agreed with his heart and now they both urged him to move faster. The faster he moved, the faster he would see Elika.

He knew the consequences of his actions. He knew the God of Darkness would be released and the world would be nearly destroyed. He knew lives would be lost, and that Elika would be furious with him. She probably wouldn't ever be kind to him again, but he also knew this.

He would set it all right again.

He wouldn't rest until he put Ahriman back in that prison for all eternity.

But, for right now, if he could see Elika again, he would set Ahriman and any other dark gods free regardless of the consequences.

He finished the last tree outside and now ran back into the temple, passing Elika again. He took one more look at her and then ran to the final tree.

Everything inside the room was the exactly the same as he left it. It was green and beautiful, but he had to destroy it. He unsheathed his sword and destroyed the final tree. Quickly, he picked up the light seed that he had seen Elika give back. He sprinted back outside where he could see the beginnings of Corruption appearing. Keeping his eyes on her face, he put the light seed on top of her heart. It went in and Elika began to glow bright blue.

He waited for her eyes to open, for her to breathe again.

She opened her eyes, sat straight up and looked at what lay in front of her.

"Why?" She asked, but it was practically a sob. Her voice sounded so frail and then she met his eyes. He decided to stay quiet and explain everything to her later. Just knowing that she was alive was good enough for him now.

He took a step towards her and pulled her body into his arms. She shivered as a cold wind began to blow and he increased his grip on her. He pulled her closer to his chest, hoping that she would get warmer that way. She wrapped her arms around his neck and laid her head on his shoulder, but he could see what an effort that was for her. He adjusted her so that his arms supported her fully.

She closed her eyes, fully exhausted from her resurrection.

Her breathing slowed and steadied to a natural rhythm. The Prince knew that she was angry at him, probably furious, but he knew that they would deal with it and overcome it. What had she honestly expected him to do when she fell down dead? Leave her?

She adjusted herself in his arms.

Well, whatever her feelings were towards him, he would win her back.

He looked at Elika's sleeping face and relished the fact that she was alive and in his arms again.

He would stop Ahriman, that was a promise.

_**Author's Note: **I hope you enjoyed it! Please review and maybe I'll write more Prince of Persia stuff._


End file.
